Posted by 2020 was a chaotic year and thankfully we made it to 2021. While the start of the year has been relatively quiet musically, there are a few albums that stood out from the rest.
DX will be narrowing down the endless amount of music released during the course of a year to the essentials, providing readers with a list of the must-listen projects. Also be sure to check out our other lists:
- The Best Hip Hop Songs of 2021 …(so far)
- The Best R&B Songs of 2021 …(so far)
- The Best R&B Albums of 2021 …(so far)
- Catch up on all of the Best Hip Hop Albums of 2020 and see who won our award for Best Hip Hop Album of the year here.
This list includes albums released between Dec. 2, 2020 and Jan. 30, 2021
The Top Hip Hop Albums Of 2021 (December – January)
Contributing writers: Trent Clark, Kyle Eustice, Josh Svetz, Dana Scott, Brandon Caldwell, David Brake, Kenan Draughorne, Devon Jefferson, Michael Saponara & Jeremy Hecht.
Man On The Moon III: The Chosen — Kid Cudi
Twelve years after it began, Kid Cudi’s intergalatic saga has come to a close of the Man On The Moon has come to a close, with Man On The Moon 3: The Chosen. On his latest, we find the godfather of psychedelic rap in a better state than the previous two chapters of the trilogy. Previously, Cudder was a notoriously tortured soul, fighting battles with his demons, armed with hums and groovy rap melodies. But on The Chosen, Cudi seems more in control. His demons are still present, but he handles them with grace instead of despair. With a familiar producer team from the previous MOTM albums, of Dot Da Genius, Plain Pat, and Mike Dean, The Chosen is a cohesive extension of the Cleveland-born rapper’s previous work. There’s also some fresh blood and new collaborators, including Finneas from Billie Eilish fame, singer Phoebe Bridgers and producer duo Take a Daytrip. There’s some misses (Pop Smoke sounds wildly out of place on “Show Out”) but it’s overall an excellent end to one of rap’s most iconic storylines.
The Voice — Lil Durk
Nothing makes us happier than seeing Lil Durk succeed in a year where all the odds were stacked against him. He lost his dear friend and frequent collaborator in King Von last November, and channeled that pain into The Voice, Durkio’s sixth studio album which peaked at the second spot on the Billboard Top 200, marking the Chi-town rapper’s third top ten project. One of the more melodic founders of Drill Rap, The Voice is packed-full of effortless hooks and catchy melodies. “Stay Down” featuring 6LACK and Young Thug is one of the standout tracks from the project, a moody hit by three artists who work incredibly well together. But The Voice is truly a dedication to Von, and Durk shines when memorializing his fallen friend on “Death Ain’t Easy” and other heartbreaking but stunning tracks.
That’s What They All Say — Jack Harlow
If anything, Jack Harlow’s debut album That’s What They All Say proves he is worthy of the hype and chatter surrounding him. Following his Billboard Hot 100 Chart-topping hit “What’s Poppin” remix featuring DaBaby, Lil Wayne and Tory Lanez earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance last November, the December release remains steadfast in keeping up with Harlow’s feverish hit-making pace. With deep cuts like “Luv Is Dro” which taps late R&B vocalist Static Major and fellow Kentucky native Bryson Tiller, combined with viral hits like “Tyler Herro” and “Way Out,” the album is as sound divers as it is well-kempt lyrically. The most convincing part of all, though, is Jack Harlow’s consistent prowess throughout That’s What They All Say — which is seemingly a master class on the execution of a multi-producer project as it’s laced with production from Scott Storch, Hit-Boy, Boi-1da, Harry Fraud and numerous others.
Proud Of Me Now — Sheff G
Since Canarsie-rapper Pop Smoke’s passing in February of 2019, Brooklyn Drill rap found itself in a precarious position. The roots were strong with Fivio Foreign, 22Gz, Sleepy Hallow and Sheff G, but there were vulturous newcomers aiming to make a quick buck off the hype Pop and the BK Drill founders had started. Artists such as CJ, Quelly Woo and other copycats have swarmed to the scene, scraping together what’s left. That’s why Proud Of Me Know, the latest from Sheff G, is so compelling. It’s a bite-sized and highly focused album that strays away from comparisons to the Big Woo and shows that Sheff has a big, booming voice of his own. The aggressive “No Negotiations” and more introspective “Mistakes” suggests that Sheff might be ready for the crown of the Five Boroughs.
Whole Lotta Red — Playboi Carti
Expectations for Playboi Carti’s Whole Lotta Red were extraordinarily high. After endless delays and building anticipation, the Atlanta rapper released his third studio album on Christmas. Hip Hop Twitter immediately went ablaze, with some calling WLR Carti’s best work and others slandering its very existence. But Twitter lies, numbers don’t, and when the project debuted at the top slot on the Billboard charts, much of the hate seemed to dissipate. The record surely contains some problems: it’s mixed poorly, at times can sound unfinished — not to mention the out-of-place Kanye West verse on “Go2DaMoon”. But the high points far outweigh the album’s drawbacks. On Whole Lotta Red we find Carti in an entirely new world of beats. Rapping over incredible production from Art Dealer, Maaly Raw, KP and Pi’erre Bourne. We find video game sounds, punk rock and filthy 808s around every turn. Carti makes quick work out of the diverse selection of beats, flying around the tracks chaotically, but deeply impassioned. It might be unexpected, but Whole Lotta Red stands just as tall as Die Lit and Playboi Carti.
Song Of Sage: Post Panic! — Navy Blue
It would be easy to label Song Of Sage: Post Panic!, the latest album from L.A.-based rapper Navy Blue, as an extension of Earl Sweatshirt. But that would entail overlooking the vast differences between the two artists. Where Earl leans towards fractured narratives and abstract expression, Navy Blue is more concerned with storytelling, and presenting chronology through a deeply impassioned and personal lens. Navy Blue, born Sage Elsesser, self-produced a handful of the orchestral beats on Song Of Sage. Though he also recruited rappers Maxo, billy woods and the legendary Mos Def, Song Of Sage is primarily handled alone, a fitting approach given the intimate subject matter of personal history, self-identity and pride.
Music To Be Murdered By: Side B — Eminem
Say whatever you want about Eminem: the man pushes weight. Nearly a year after Music To Be Murdered By first released, Em dropped Side B, a deluxe edition which features sixteen new tracks. In typical Slim Shady fashion, Side B released without warning, and featured new contributions from old friends, including Skylar Grey and Dr. Dre, but also some new faces in the Eminem universe like Ty Dolla $ign. The shock drop spread like wildfire, selling nearly 100,000 units in its first release, and helped to propel the album back to the third slot in Billboard’s Top 200 chart. Em might be pushing 50-years-old, but it seems he’s as nimble as ever.
Sound Ancestors — Madlib
It’s a rare treat whenever Madlib, the iconic and deeply reclusive producer shares new music. One of the undisputed greatest Hip Hop producers in history, Madlib’s 20-year-plus career has brought the world more classics than it can count. He has an unrivaled ability to sound wholly new and fresh on each project. He sounds leagues ahead of the times on Lootpack’s debut from 1999, and the same can still be said about Sound Ancestors, which dropped in the final days of January. It’s a grab-bag of global sounds that’s reminiscent of early Hip Hop DJs. An intricate, plucked guitar on “Latino Negro” sounds as if he’s remixing Rodrigo y Gabriela live. On “Road Of The Lonely Ones,” he flips a track from late 1960s Motown group, The Ethics. We can’t think of a single time when Madlib has disappointed — and he’s not starting now.